For any state or area, this chart will show which occupations are most
concentrated relative to the national average. To get started, click
on the chart to the right, choose a state, then an area within the
state or statewide. The chart will then show the occupations with the
highest location quotients (1) in
that area.

The largest occupations in the U.S. include retail salespersons,
cashiers, and general office clerks. To find the largest occupations in
any area, click the chart to the right; select a state, then an area
within the state or statewide.

Each industry has a unique combination of workers. To see the largest
occupations in each industry, click the chart on the right. You can
select a particular sector for a broader combination of industries,
or select detailed industries within each sector from the second
drop down menu.

Some occupations, such as general office clerks, are found in a large
number of industries, while others, such as avionics technicians, are
concentrated in a smaller number of industries. To see the industries
with the largest employment for over 800 occupations, click the chart
to the right.

The larger states, including California, New York, and Texas have the
most employment for many occupations. However, some occupations, such
as logging equipment operators and tire builders, have more
employment in some smaller states.

Location quotients (1) are a convenient
and useful tool for analyzing differences in the mix of occupations in
states and metropolitan areas. While many occupations have most of
their employment in large states, this measure shows the areas in
which an occupation is most prevalent relative to the national
average. LQs are the ratio of the area's concentration of
occupational employment to the national average concentration. A
location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a
higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less
than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area
than average. To see the states with the highest location
quotient, click the chart to the right.

Some occupations, like gaming dealers, are concentrated in a few
geographic areas, while others, like coaches and scouts, are concentrated
in a mix of metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. To see the areas
with the highest location quotient (1)
of each occupation, click the chart to the right.

This mapping tool allows the user to first select a major occupational
group, then a detailed occupation, and show either a State or MSA map
by employment, location quotient (1),
or mean wage.

(1) The location quotient is the ratio of the area
concentration of occupational employment to the national average
concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the
occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a
location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less
prevalent in the area than average.